mjr
Full Member
Posts: 115
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Post by mjr on Mar 26, 2008 23:30:47 GMT -5
Hello all ~ I joined this fellowship a few weeks ago, but then got hit with bronchitis/borderline pneumonia and was ill for two weeks. I wanted to introduce myself ~ My name is Mary Jo, I'm in my early 40's and live in the Charlotte, NC area. Actually, I have only lived here for a year and a half, being a transplant from the northeast. I was raised Roman Catholic, came to Christ in my early 20's then for the past 18 years or so was in Reformed/Presbyterian churches.
Just to let you know how awesome the Lord works - - about 10 years ago while driving through PA at a rest stop I came across a Mennonite tract rack and I think I took most everyone there to read. They struck a chord with my spirit and pointed me to truths in scripture on various areas of life. I always thought that the church I was in, while stating that the Reformed faith was THE correct interpretation in scripture, was very contradictory - - as one could claim to be a Christian and still be very much a part of the world system (dress, television, music, drinking alcohol, amusements, etc.) One was not distinctly separate from the world in all things. This prompted me to contact the tract's publishing company and I was then referred to a God-fearing Christian (Mennonite) sister in PA who has been a blessing to me ever since.
Obviously the Reformed/Presbyterian church backgound taught Calvinism and the Lord is in the process of weeding out false doctrine in me from the truths held in Scripture. I hope that you will all be patient with me with my questions~ unfortunately there is a lot of "worldlyness" that the Lord is still weeding out of me . . .an ongoing process. There are no faithful churches in my area that I know of, however I have been attending a non-denominational church in town, but they are still very much influenced by the world ~ but I just did not want to remain home and isolated, you know? I look forward to getting to know you all. Lord Bless and keep you!!
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Post by allglorytogod on Mar 26, 2008 23:43:44 GMT -5
Welcome Mary Jo
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Post by anabean on Mar 27, 2008 9:10:50 GMT -5
Maryjo! Glad to have you. My wife, I, and my 3 children are also in NC! Our Church (An Amish Mennonite Church) is only 60 miles from Charlotte. Our Church is in Taylorsville NC. We would love to have you! We are very conservative....head coverings, no TV's, etc.....but.....we are all learning still and all have somethings to learn. I believe you will appreciate the Brotherhood/Sisterhood of our churches. Here is a weblink to what we would be like: www.beachyam.org/We would love to have you come this Sunday! And you would get a free lunch. You can private message me here for my number and our 2 ministers' numbers to attend. Or you can also mail me at mennobean5@gmail.com Let me tell you, God has been good to me and my family! I am also from a non-plain church background...but since we attend our Mennonite church....we have been very happy! May the Lord bless you in your search.... And we would also tend to stay away from calvinism or a man-made theology. We do not believe the gospel revolves around John Calvin or Jacob Arminius but the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen! - Anabean (Brandon)
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Post by Brother Ben on Mar 27, 2008 12:03:20 GMT -5
Welcome, Maryjo, we're glad to have you on board! I hope we can be a blessing as we too seek the Lord and seek to honor him with our lives.
To which I reply, "Amen." But, I think it would be honest to say that the accepted theology amongst the Beachy Mennonites (at least the ones I have met,) is that of Wesley's Arminian interpretation. They are not Pelagian (teachinging that man is basically good,) but instead teaching that man is born in sin and that the Lord must first extend grace to those bound in sin's dark night. A life of authentic faith is one that continues with active belief toward God and this is the only sign of real conversion or ultimate salvation.
I personally do not have a problem with any of that, but did want to be clear that most Mennonite groups would say they were Arminian in their theology.
One thing I have appreciated as I have read and studied over the years, though I would not be described as a Calvinist, I have read some GREAT works by men of Reformed thought. We must keep in mind the great truth that God is no respecter of persons and he used greatly C. H. Spurgeon and John Wesley. Though there is some diffenence in the way we "define" things, a holy life that has been transformed by the awesome power of God is the acid test. May we all seek to have "that" experience.
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Post by anabean on Mar 27, 2008 14:13:11 GMT -5
Ben, I think you are correct that most Beachy Amish Mennonites would agree with the Arminian doctrine. However, they do not tell others that we hold to "Arminiainism" neither do we call ourselves "Arminians"....while we might agree with some of the things Jacobus Arminius taught...we do not see the need to interpret the scriptures through the eyes of Mr. Arminius. I guess I should have worded that more carefully....and sometimes being a young zealot I speak to quick. Neither do we hold to Menno Simons teachings...while we do agree with some of them. My minister told me when I asked him "have you read the writings of menno simons"? To which he replied "I dont need the writings of Menno Simons...I have the writings of the Lord".
I also think if you study history...Menno Simons was around before Jacobus Arminius....and Mennonites did not get their doctrine from Jacob as he wasn't even around yet. Menno Simons did not study "Arminianism", but "biblicism".
I apologize for my quick speach...
Anabean
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Post by anabean on Mar 27, 2008 14:23:57 GMT -5
I also do not think you will find "Arminianism" on our website... you might..and I might have missed it...but I do not think it is there. We do have independent congregations as well.
Also I think the early "Arminians" emphasized infant baptism, which we do not.
I also think that Wesley practiced infant baptism. While we agree with some of the teachings of these men...we are not full "Arminians" in any light. We have to be careful adhering to them...otherwise we read the scriptures with our mind made up instead of reading the scriptures to let them make up our minds.
I am not sure about every individual in our churches, but I do not pick A (arminianism) or C(calvinism).....I choose B (Biblicism)
- Anabean
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Post by anabean on Mar 27, 2008 16:22:11 GMT -5
And again my quick speech (a sin that easily besets me) has got me in trouble. The scripture tells me to be slow to speak, and to lay aside the sin that doth so easiy beset me. I read Ben's post more closely...and it seems he is right and I was really defending nothing. While all of us do not say we hold to arminianism in the mennonite circle...a good majority of what we believe tends to line up with the salvational teachings of arminianism....except for infant baptism...we do not believe that nor practice it. I have even heard the word arminian used in our churches...and I have heard we are closer to that doctrine for salvation than to calvinism. But I do not really like either label. I apologize again. Pray that I repent of this as quick as I speak. - Anabean
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Post by anabean on Mar 27, 2008 16:24:54 GMT -5
After I spoke (typed) I did not realize what I was defending...I have become so defensive on some topics....pray that I break from this. It was not my intention to be so. Thank you for all being my friend. I will pray God to forgive me. -Anaquickspeech
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Post by Brother Ben on Mar 27, 2008 16:26:53 GMT -5
No offense taken, brother. It is good to talk, study, and hash things out. This causes growth. I find the study of our origins very fascinating. We'll move this down to Theology 101 and return this thread to it's "origin", greeting our sister, Maryjo.
Again, nice to have you on board, sister, as you can see, we like to dig in and share, and hopefully grow in the process.
Bro. Ben
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Post by allglorytogod on Mar 27, 2008 18:51:04 GMT -5
Don't be so hard on yourself young brother Anabean
We are all learning and growing and will continue to do so all our days on Earth
~ friend ~
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Post by anabean on Mar 28, 2008 9:16:19 GMT -5
Thanks Allglory... I have to work on my balance as a young christian man still. I believe somtimes I am too hard on others, and too hard on myself too. I also speak too quick. I always find myself defending my position at this point in my walk now that I attend the church I do and I have become reactionary which I do not need to do. Our churches would basically agree with "arminianism" and I was so used to defending my position here lately that I tried to defend myself against Ben...who was doing nothing more than being very truthful. While we do not call ourselves arminians...we would say we agree with a lot of what it teaches on the salvation doctrines. I, blinded by my pride became defensive again when I did not need be. I think I needed this lesson...I am going through a major growing period right now...it is tough...but I know it is for my good. I love all you on here. Ben is my good friend! He knows it. Allglory, again...thanks for that. - Anabean
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Post by anabean on Mar 28, 2008 9:30:04 GMT -5
I will ask my brethren this weekend about the matter and make sure I get the facts straight about all this before I speak quickly in pride again. I will report the answer next week on the arminian question. I apologize for not getting all the facts before I spoke....
- Anabean...you all have a wonderful weekend. This verse stands out to me right now... Romans 7:24
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Post by Tammy on Mar 28, 2008 23:03:03 GMT -5
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kscarle
Member
Philippians 4:4, Romans 12:1, John 14:15
Posts: 97
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Post by kscarle on Mar 29, 2008 18:28:48 GMT -5
Welcome Mary Jo, I am not mennonite, but I do bleieve in standards and seperation and want to welcome you to the board.
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mjr
Full Member
Posts: 115
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Post by mjr on Mar 31, 2008 19:33:56 GMT -5
Thank you all for your warm and gracious welcome!
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